Illuminated receptacle



Patented Jan. 7, 1941 UNHTED STTES PATENT FFiCE 1 Claim.

IIihis invention relates to wall receptacles of the type used to supply current for electrical attachments, and an object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle of this character equipped with an electric illuminating or lighting device whereby the receptacle may be readily illuminated when desired to facilitate the engaging of a plug on the end of an electric cord with the wall receptacle.

The invention with `its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in` connection with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a wall receptacle embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view therethrough taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view with the receptacle box removed and certain parts shown in section.

Figure 4 is a detail View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, and- Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the assembly shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure '6 is a View of the receptacle assembly with which the invention is used, the section being taken on approximately the line 6--6 of Figure 1 but only showing the receptacle.

In accordance with the present invention I make use of a conventional wall receptacle indicated by the reference numeral 5 and which includes among other parts a housing or casing 6, cover plate 'l therefor, and the double plug-receiving receptacle assembly the latter being se- -cured within the casing or housing 5 in the usual manner through the medium of screws 9, and the cover plate 'I being secured to the assembly 8 through the medium of the screw Ill.

Ihis receptacle assembly 8 is of the usual or any desired construction and includes the casing containing the usual metal contacts II' which are engaged by prongs of a plug member attached to a conductor and leading to an electric appliance, the prongs being inserted through either pair of the upper and lower slots I I formed in the front of the casing 8, it being understood that the house circuit is connected with the contacts II. The slots II are formed in bosses on the :front part of the casing 8" and pass through openings in the cover plate l as shown in Figure l.

In accordance with the present invention there is mounted within the casing 6 a substantially U-shaped shield I2 of dielectric material, the

same having the sides thereof secured to the assembly 8 through the medium of the usual terminal screws i3 and Iii arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the assembly 8.

Secured through the medium of one of the 5 binding screws I3 which connect the conductors with the contacts Il is an angle arm It of conductive material, the part I5 of the arm being engaged by the screw I3 and the other part has integral therewith a laterally extending screw- 10 threaded socket l5" for receiving the threaded part of an incandescent bulb i accommodated within the `connesof the shield I2 and behind the assembly 8 as shown. In order to permit the rays of light from the lamp to enter the box or 15 receptacle 8 an opening 8' is formed in the rear wall of the box as shown in Figures 4 and 6 so that the rays of light from the lamp will pass into the box through this opening 3 and thus pass through the box or receptacle and through 20 the slots l I to illuminate said slots.

Also in accordance with the present invention there is provided a push-button switch assembly which includes conductor plates I6 and I'I secured to the bottom of the assembly 8 as at I8 25 and I9 respectively.

Pivoted to the conductor member IB as at 2U is rocker arm 2I of conductive material, and piv- Joted to one end of the rocker arm 2I is a push button 22 of dielectric material. Pivoted to the 30 other end of the rocker arm 2| is a similar push button 23 of dielectric material and the push buttons 22 and 23 are accommodated in suitable openings 24 provided therefor in the cover plate '1. 35

At the free end thereof the conductor member Il is provided with oppositely extending portions I'I" that form resilient jaws adapted to accommodate therebetween the rocker arm. 2| which serves as a bridge contact between the 40 members I8 and I1 for completing the circuit through the switch and the lamp 4 for illuminating the receptacle.

As is appreciated the receptacle 5 is mounted in a wall or the like and the usual lead wires 45 from the house wiring system lead into the box d of the receptacle through a suitable conduit 25 that at one end is connected with the rear wall oi the outlet box 6 in the' usual manner. The lead wires are indicated by the reference 50 numerals 26 and 2l, one of the lead wires, 2E, being connected with a binding post I4 at one side of the assembly 8 and the other of the lead wires, 2l, being connected with a binding post I4 at the opposite side of thel assembly 8,. 55

Also the binding post I4 at one side of the assembly 8 is connected through the medium of a wire 28 with the stationary switch member I6 while a wire 29 connects the contact arm with the center contact 30 of the switch socket I5 as shown.

It will also be noted that the pivot bolt 20 for the rocker arm 2| is provided with a coil spring 3| that impinges against the rocker arm 2| to yieldably retain the same in either of the two positions shown in Figure 5, the switchclosing position of the rocker arm 2| being shown in full line, and the switch opening position of the rocker arm 2| being shown in broken lines in Figure 5.

From the above it will be apparent that when it is desired to illuminate the wall receptacle 5 the operator pushes inwardly on the push button 22 causing the arm 2| to rock in a direction to engage said arm with the switch contact member thus completing the circuit through the lamp 4, and the light rays from the lamp passing through the opening 8' and through the slots will serve to suitable illuminate the receptacle permitting one to readily engage a plug of an electric cord with the receptacle in the usual manner.

When it is desired to extinguish the lamp 4, the operator then pushes inwardly on the push button 23 causing the arm 2| to swing out of engagement with the switch contact to the dotted line position shown in Figure 5 thus interrupting the circuit to the lamp 4.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided an illuminated wall receptacle embodying a switch and lamp assembly that is simple in construction, can be readily associated with a wall receptacle of the type now generally used and which when so associated therewith will provide for eioiently and eectively illuminating the receptacle when desired.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of an invention of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In combination with an electrical socket member which includes a casing having prong receiving openings at its front, a window at its rear and terminal screws at its sides, an angleshaped bracket of conductive material having one limb connected with the casing by a terminal screw and its other limb extending partly across the rear of the casing, a socket member connected with the last-mentioned limb for receiving a lamp bulb and for holding the bulb in position in rear of the window, whereby rays of light from the bulb will pass through the window and through the casing and illuminate the prong receiving openings, a shield of substantially U-shaped having its limbs connected with the sides of the casing by said terminal screws with a part of the shield extending around the lamp bulb and the bracket, the ends of the shield being open, and means including switch means for electrically connecting the bulb with the terminal screws for supplying current to the bulb when the switch is in closed position.

FRED L. MCNEILL. 

